Today, we are going to be talking about the Montessori way of multi-age groups and some of the benefits of it.
Mixed-age grouping is a way of grouping children in which the children’s age range is between 2 and 4 years.
It is intended to optimize the educational potential of children as there are many benefits to this practice, especially in the Montessori educational program.
If you are looking to building a centered, organized Montessori Guide in yourself, nurture happy, normalized children and want to create smooth, successful Montessori days, then you are in the right place!
Let me know in comments what you know about this topic, what you have applied, what you have tried that worked, what you have tried that didn’t work and if you have any questions as we get into this training.
As you watch or listen to this training, know that you will be able to get more information than what is included in this blog post.
I really want to encourage you to take the time to watch or listen and take notes.
This will be helpful to you now and in the future.
#1 Children are not labeled according to their ability.
They have a 3- or 4-year cycle to be introduced to, practice and master the material.
They are not graded or placed in the slow, medium and fast group in class.
It takes a great burden off of you (the Montessori teacher) and the children, don’t you think?
As a homeschool mom, you will love to know that the Montessori homeschool curriculum is free from pressure and stress.
This is a precious treasure to have that should be valued and praised.
It will help you teach Montessori with much more ease.
Homeschool days are now enjoyed and the lesson plans are more relaxed when doing Montessori at home.
Imagine growing up in a beautiful and loving learning environment where children can be themselves, follow their passions and learn at their own pace.
Well, when they are in a Montessori environment and have an opportunity to grow up in that environment during ages 3, 4, 5 and 6, then they will be set up for success.
Finding the beautiful flow of discovering learning experiences is one of the best ways for children to learn.
#2 Children learn at their own rate, with no fear of retention.
In traditional classrooms, children are retained if they do not master content by the end of the year.
In mixed-age classrooms, children have more time to master content, and this removes their fear of being retained in school.
In traditional schools, when you work with special needs children, you have to face the option of either segregating or retaining children that are not able to cover the material in one year’s time.
Actually, it is 9 months in the school year, so they get even less time to be introduced to, practice and master the material.
And if you are working with gifted children in traditional schools, you are also worried about children that need more advanced material or to move at a faster pace will be retained as well.
It is a different type of retention as they are in the grade that their age dictates, but their mind is more advanced.
They are trapped in a classroom with material that is holding them back.
Dr. Maria Montessori never meant for her method to do this to children.
Imagine growing up in a beautiful and loving learning environment where children can be themselves, follow their passions and learn at their own pace, as slow or advanced as that may be.
What a thought!
#3 Children develop a sense of family with their classmates.
Do children learn better when they are comfortable or stressed?
Do they learn better with known people or strangers?
Knowing the Montessori Guide and the children in the environment for years is going to take off a lot of the stress that children might feel in new situations.
It takes so much time and effort to work through instilling a new routine, learning the rules, procedures and class order.
Not to mention figuring out the personality of the teacher and all of the classmates!
Being able to familiarize yourself with one environment and one group is a “one and done” for them, which helps SO much to return in subsequent years without that stressor and that worry of trying to fit in.
As great as this can come true in a Montessori school, this point is much easier to implement in The Montessori homeschool daily schedule because, well, the children ARE family!
Imagine growing up in a beautiful and loving learning environment where children can be themselves, follow their passions and learn at their own pace… where everyone can be a family!
In Conclusion
The Montessori preschool is precious and partly it is because of the essential multi-age classrooms is applied.
A day in the life of a Montessori inspired environment proves, through research, that children that spend several years together learn better.
As you set out the Montessori Materials in the environment, you know that it can target several Sensitive Periods and several age groups.
This is the way Dr. Montessori wanted it… older and younger children working happily and successfully in Montessori classrooms across the world.
HERE’S THE RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:
Like I said at the beginning of the show, I have a FB group for all things Montessori that you are welcome to join.
It is called The Montessori Way Prep Room.
If you want to join a homeschool Facebook community, then join The Natural Homeschool Community!
Books on multi-aged grouping: https://bit.ly/MulitAgeGroupings
Montessori Practical Life Checklist
If you are interested in helping children move from dependence to independence by becoming well-rounded individuals, then you will be interested in this free Montessori activities PDF printable.
It is a list of 100 Montessori Practical Life works that you can easily set up to do at home or at your Montessori environment.
Get this free Montessori Curriculum Practical Life list by clicking the image below!
Are you ready to take your Montessori confidence to the next level?
I will be having a LIVE training workshop inside a FB group where you can learn, fill out your workbook each day and ask me questions that you might have.
It is coming soon, so be sure to check HERE and join the waitlist to be informed of when it will happen again.
The FREE 5-Day Montessori Way Foundations Workshop to learn more on these topics:
🔹Day 1: 4 Pillars of The Montessori Method
🔹Day 2: The Montessori Prepared Environment
🔹Day 3: Behaviors of Normalized Children
🔹Day 4: Your Job as the Montessori Guide
🔹Day 5: Your Next Step for Montessori Success
You May Also Benefit from these Important Montessori Topics:
Montessori lovers: Are you ready to be intentional to become a centered, organized Montessori Guide, nurture happy children and create smooth and successful days as a beautiful side effect?
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